IMRO - Provider or Retailer?

justindublin

Hey Guys,

Was on a couple of weeks ago about potentially setting up my own business providing personalized/branded in-store radio to retailers.

Since then I finally choose a name (hurra!), got some draft logos created, and started on the webdesign.

However now I have encountered something i'm not too sure about - IMRO
They have got to be the most difficult people on the planet to get an answer out of.

Basically, the way I understand it - The responsibility for music licencing stands with the retailer who is broadcasting it. Not the provider. Is that right?

So for example, I will be streaming the audio to the retailer.
The stream will be private and so it cannot be publicly accessed.
It will only be broadcast in the retailers store.

What licences am I required to hold? Is the retailers IMRO licence sufficient?

Hope you guys can help,

IMRO wont reply to letters, e-mails, calls etc

Cheers
Paul

tomED

Hi Paul

What a great idea!

This is a tough question to answer because I doubt either the BCI or IMRO have thought of this possible scenario.

The reason IMRO are so hard to deal with is because they don't really now what to do when it comes to the Internet. IMRO expect you to have a license for your website if you are streaming music from it. But I'm sure you could cover this in that you are just broadcasting as a service. http://www.imro.ie/content/general-entertainment-demand-licence-geod-0

The onus will be on the retailer to have an IMRO license.

I would check to see if you require a broadcasting license though. I doubt you do - but at least it won't come back to bite you in the future if you know.

antoinolachtnai

I believe you will both need a licence. On your side, you need a licence for having a copy of the music on your system (this may be an MCPS issue rather than an IMRO issue) and on the retail side, you will need a public performance licence. It is quite complicated and you will need to do a good bit of research to get everything sorted out.

justindublin

Ouch - Looks like I found it

http://www.imro.ie/mcps/music-services-b2b-business-business-mcpsi

€1,215 :eek:

Ya reckon thats based per client or just a general licence for the supplier?

tomED

justindublin wrote: »

Ouch - Looks like I found it

http://www.imro.ie/mcps/music-services-b2b-business-business-mcpsi

€1,215 :eek:

Ya reckon thats based per client or just a general licence for the supplier?

Just like their website license fees... ridiculous!

antoinolachtnai

that looks like a general licence for the supplier to me. I thought it would be a lot more than that to be honest.

You also need the IMRO licence per client.

Plebs

IMRO are like the mafia.

They'll find some way to prevent you from doing this otherwise they'll cease to exist very quickly.

antoinolachtnai

How would imro benefit from stopping him?

DubTony

They probably wouldn't, but they're the music nazis and if there's a way for them to stop something happening that they aren't sure about, they'll find it... or something

justindublin

Yea I had an idea that the normal retailers IMRO licence is pretty pricey.

TBH I dont think many retailers buy one until IMRO come knocking, only then do they finally bite the bullet. Cant say I blame them, If I was in the retail trade I'd be holding off as long as possible.

Luckily tho, this time i'm not

The Business to Business MCPSI for €1,215 would cover me 99% I reckon.
(http://www.imro.ie/mcps/music-services-b2b-business-business-mcpsi)

I only say 99% because its IMRO, they'll think up some way of charging me more.

I'll just need to inform perspective clients that they must either all ready hold an IMRO licence or must get one in order to legally use the service.

Its none my business as to if they do or not, my part is done. I'm covered.

..... I hope .....

bigneacy

IMRO are a fecking joke anyway.

I hear they're now asking B&B owners to pay a licence fee for each TV and radio on the premises. €400 for each! Some places that could be over €6000 a year.

They can go and ****e. :mad: